Sugar before the Burn

ly thing that ma

rumentals, haunting vocals, anything that didn't require her to focus. She'

e couldn't st

yn

neck. The way his eyes could

f it. But the sket

There had been something in the way he looked at he

n't scrub

neath her jeans, inside her. Not physically. Emoti

back. The way he told her to leave. As if he had the restraint she didn

va kept asking questions E

Ava asked casually one morni

deflected, brushing invi

ody lately. And you still won't te

ered a we

they'd done mor

ed to vanish. She hadn't seen him on campus. No texts. No s

r phone

ne:

art cl

't want

didn't want t

she

na:

avoiding me. You're

ou. I just think it's bes

e to go easy on you. Yo

trembled a

e alone. You don't kn

do I know you wanted more, ev

hroat

g we did. It should never

was no

le

crushin

ew it across the bed. It didn

whispered to herself in the

ew the

lying to

nipulative word that night, s

m Zayne. Ava rambled on about a classma

he bathroom," El

n eyebrow. "

she li

s later, a girl she didn't recognize ent

hine, like a robot programmed onl

day. She couldn't focus. Not in History, not in Lit, not

needed to

ded to

was running from somethin

Greene," s

a bolted upstairs and slammed her door. She di

opened th

was sharp and slan

rt over.

st a guy who can't take his eyes off your beauty. That night, I stoppe

eved you. I didn't want to be someone you'd

were hell. I didn't understan

you. And I think

like yo

ched as she read t

like you

lt like

t as dangerous

s just... m

hone

e you read

arious. Why didn'

rying to be

Are we

a: M

me make i

na:

Can I ca

t the screen,

a: "

he answered, his voice slid

t of breath,"

she whisp

t you're wea

ajama

nt you to feel how badly I'

ice da

Just there. Be a good

eath h

, she did

commanding, like a secret

fingers

ively, forgetting h

she b

gentle. Just small circles. You're

the sheet beneath her. Every word he spoke

" he whispered. "You

softly. "I

," he said. "You'd

y am," sh

. "Say it, Elena.

Zayne. Please.

it lo

ne. Please... ple

want you dri

y breath he took, pulled

was slipping-too fast, too far. He ha

ything in that moment, a

th

to

gh the haze like a knif

fr

ated, firmer th

hitched in pr

're going to be a g

retched be

e continued, his voice soft bu

was pounding, skin flushed, thighs achin

ht," Zayne whispered. "You don

... pl

N

to something da

already, Elena. Now act

s if holding his voice in her pal

slowly, "I'll fini

the line